Who plays who in the Andor cast? We have been so impressed by the new Star Wars series and it’s quickly become one of our favourite things to come from the science fiction movie franchise in a very, very long time. A large part of that success is down to the actors involved, so let’s get to know them better.
The story follows the Star Wars character Cassian Andor, who you’ll remember from the Star Wars movie Rogue One. It’s a sci-fi series all about the fight between the Galactic Empire and the rising Rebellion forces that want to get out from under their boot.
Throughout the TV series, we’ve enjoyed some amazing performances from actors you may have seen elsewhere, so here’s our breakdown of the main players in the Andor cast.
The Andor cast is:
- Diego Luna as Cassian Andor
- Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen Rael
- Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma
- Denise Gough as Dedra Meero
- Kyle Soller as Syril Karn
- Fiona Shaw as Maarva Andor
- Andy Serkis as Kino Loy
- Faye Marsay as Vel Sartha
Diego Luna – Cassian Andor
The star of the show, as you may have guessed, is the titular hero Cassian Andor. Diego Luna reprises his role from Rogue One, but Andor takes place before the events of that thriller movie to show us how Cassian got involved in the Rebel cause.
So far, we’ve seen Cassian arrested, hatch a plan to escape the prison on Narkina 5, and a lovely friendship blossomed between Cassian and Melshi, too. But, when he’s not sticking it to the man in the galaxy, Luna has offered his vocal talents to animated movies like The Book of Life and more recently, DC League of Super Pets.
Luna made his name in the early 2000s movie Y Tu Mamá También, collaborating with his fellow Mexicans Gael Garcia Bernal and acclaimed filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón. Since then, he’s had roles in the Steven Spielberg movie The Terminal, and the movie based on a true story Milk.
Stellan Skarsgård – Luthen Rael
Luthen Rael is the man with a plan when it comes to leading the Rebellion’s charge against Emperor Palpatine and his evil ways. The ISB may know him only as Axis, but we’ve learned a lot about Luthen Rael’s plan and also spotted lots of Easter eggs in his antique shop on Coruscant.
Most people will recognise Skarsgård for his work in the MCU, where he plays Erik Selvig in the Thor movies and the first two Avengers Marvel movies. He’s an esteemed actor with a rich career though, including the ‘90s movie Good Will Hunting, the musical Mamma Mia!, and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise where he played Bootstrap Bill.
Genevieve O’Reilly – Mon Mothma
Taking on an existing character and making it your own is never easy, but Genevieve O’Reilly did just that when she assumed the role of Mon Mothma for the Prequel Trilogy. She’s now been given the opportunity to develop the character further than ever before, and she’s doing an incredible job with that freedom.
When she’s not dressing in luxurious clothing and taking on the Galactic Senate, O’Reilly has also starred in the adventure movie The Legend of Tarzan, the detective movie The Snowman, and various British drama series like Spooks and Waking the Dead.
Denise Gough – Dedra Meero
Move aside, Darth Vader, Dedra Meero is ready to take the crown as the most formidable Star Wars villain of all time. While the Sith may have their ways of intimidating their enemies, the simple brutality and ruthlessness of Meero is scary enough.
Denise Gough is fantastic in the role, and this could well be her breakthrough moment. Previously, big roles have been few and far between but you may recognise her from the family movie The Kid Who Would be King, the horror movie The Other Lamb, or as the voice of Yennefer in The Witcher video game series.
Kyle Soller – Syril Karn
Just like Denise Gough, Kyle Soller is experiencing a real breakthrough since joining the Star Wars cast for Andor. His portrayal of Syril Karn as a desperate, disillusioned man has been one of the most effective elements of the whole show, and we can’t wait to see what he does next.
Soller hasn’t really had any major roles before this, but you may have spotted him in the war movie Fury, in the romance movie Anna Karenina, and TV show Poldark.
Fiona Shaw – Maarva Andor
Sweet old Maarva, Cassian’s adoptive mother, is one of the most respected members of society on the key planet in Andor, Ferrix. She’s a resilient, rebellious lady who refuses to give in to the Empire, and we have her to thank for Cassian being the man he is today.
British actor Fiona Shaw is someone you will definitely have seen before, whether it be in the Harry Potter movies where she plays Petunia Dursley, or in the comedy series Killing Eve, or the Netflix movie Enola Holmes alongside Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown.
Andy Serkis – Kino Loy
Andor episode 8 sprung a huge surprise with the arrival of Kino Loy, as we never expected to see Andy Serkis in Andor, or indeed the Star Wars universe ever again. But, by Andor episode 10, we were so happy he decided to return and take on this new role.
We’re not sure what happened to Kino Loy, but Andy Serkis’ impact here is arguably even greater than when he played the movie villain Supreme Leader Snoke in the Sequel Trilogy. Speaking of villains, Serkis is certainly more accustomed to playing despicable characters.
Away from Star Wars, he has mainly made a name for himself as the motion-capture guy, playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes movies. He has also played the Marvel villain Ulysses Klaue and Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth in the DC movie The Batman, so he knows his way around a superhero movie.
Faye Marsay – Vel Sartha
There’s a great array of British talent in Andor, and Faye Marsay brings a brilliant tenacity and spirit to the role of Vel Sartha. She was the leader of the heist on Aldhani in Andor episode 6 and it’s since been revealed that Vel Sartha and Mon Mothma are related, so her involvement throughout Andor is growing by the week.
Marsay is another actor who hasn’t done a great deal, but she is a Game of Thrones alum and has also appeared in an episode of Black Mirror and Doctor Who, too.
That’s all the key figures from the Andor cast but you can see who might return for Andor season 2 if you enjoyed the show. If you need to know more about Star Wars, dive into our guide on the Jedi explained or check out our list of the best Star Wars cameos and the best Star Wars droids.
